Logon to Windows2000Pro after moving from domain to workgoup

[JayB]

I changed my computer from a domain to a workstation and
received a message saying welcome to the workgroup and a
requirement to restart the system. After restarting the
system I was brought back to the Windows 2000Pro logon
screen with my User Name and Password. After typing in
the password, I received the following error: "The
system could not log you on. Make sure the user name and
domain name are correct. Then type your password
again." It appears that Windows 2000 Pro still thinks
the system is on a domain, even though we can see the
system on the workgroup. It will not let me bypass this
logon and will not start Windows 2000 Pro. I have called
the manufacturer, Microsoft Customer support and have
tried rebooting from every option available in Safe
Mode. Please help!!!

 

[Dusty Harper {MS}]

Professional normally requires a logon. You need to log on with a local
account. The Administrator account for example. No domain should be
associated with the machine, and the local SAM should authenticate you. If
you have a third option box ( where the domain normally resides ) on your
logon screen, make sure this is scrolled down to your computer name.
However if you are not joined to the domain, this box shouldn't be there.

 

[Guest]

Yes, I strongly agree with Dusty on this. When you login
to your machine, you should use a local account. The
local administrator is the most common. The reason
behind this is because when you disjoin from a domain,
all domain accounts are not seen, thus no user that is on
the domain cannot login to that PC using a domain
account. when it refers to "Make sure the user name and
domain name are correct," Unless there is an option to
specify which domain to connect to, it would default to
the local PC.

 

[JayB]

Dusty,

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, it appears that
W2K will not let me logon using Aministrator. It
receives the same message. Is there a way to bypass the
logon and open W2KPro without a login, or a way to change
it back to the original setting in safe mode or something?
Thanks for your response.

JayB

 

[Roland Hall]

I know of two solutions and have used both to successfully get back into my
system.

First, your issue is you were using a domain user account. The system no
longer shows you as a domain computer because you removed the domain
information. This means you also removed the access of the domain
administrator. You now have to know the original local admin user's
password to gain access. Your domain user information is now no longer
applicable to this system in its current form.

Two Options:

1. You can reinstall the OS but in a new directory, if you have enough disk
space. When you do, you will now know the Admin's password. I also chose
to change Program Files to Programs for the 2nd install. Once you are up
and logged into the 2nd install, you can remove the SAM from the old system.
When you reboot, choose the first installation on the NT menu and when it
comes up, you will have a new SAM with an Administrator's account with a
blank password.

There is an alternative to this. You can put the disk drive in another
system as a slave drive and rename the old SAM and avoid having to reinstall
the OS. Then put the drive back in your original system and reboot, you
will now have an Admin account with no password. This was not possible when
I did this because mine was on a laptop.

2. http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html - You create a
Linux boot disk and change the Admin's password to anything you want. This
is a quicker solution. You cannot have EFS or those files will only be
accessible if you ever obtain the old password where the files were
encrypted. Since most likely this will be your domain user account, that
shouldn't be an issue. If you have IDE drives, you're pretty much set to
go.

3. I take it back, there is another solution but it's a $350+ solution with
3rd party software.

The Linux solution is the quickest and doesn't change anything on your
system except the local Admin password.

Good luck!



I changed my computer from a domain to a workstation and
received a message saying welcome to the workgroup and a
requirement to restart the system. After restarting the
system I was brought back to the Windows 2000Pro logon
screen with my User Name and Password. After typing in
the password, I received the following error: "The
system could not log you on. Make sure the user name and
domain name are correct. Then type your password
again." It appears that Windows 2000 Pro still thinks
the system is on a domain, even though we can see the
system on the workgroup. It will not let me bypass this
logon and will not start Windows 2000 Pro. I have called
the manufacturer, Microsoft Customer support and have
tried rebooting from every option available in Safe
Mode. Please help!!!

 

[Glenn]

Did you every get a resolution to this problem? I have
the same situation and now can not log in.

Glenn